Many commercial and industrial processes generate as by-products large amounts of vapor, such as steam, during operation. As is the case with the by-products of any commercial or industrial process, the vapor produced must eventually be released for disposal in the surrounding environment.
One disposal method is to exhaust the vapor stream directly to the ambient environment. This method, however, has come under increased scrutiny by federal, state, and local regulatory authorities, leading to legal restrictions being placed on the disposal of vapor in this manner. Most commonly, a permit is required to exhaust vapor streams to the ambient environment. Sometimes, such a permit is difficult to obtain.
Even if a permit is obtained to exhaust the vapor by-products of an industrial process to the ambient environment, the physical requirements of such an exhaust system often create additional problems. For example, the exhaust stack may interfere with the motion of other machinery, such as an overhead crane. Additionally, the process generating the vapor to be exhausted may be located a great distance from an external wall, requiring an extensive system of duct work to be installed.
Alternatively, the vapor stream by-products could be released within the plant where the commercial or industrial process is being practiced. However, such a disposal method may result in a dangerous environment for the employees working in the surrounding area of the plant, unless the vapor content or density of the vapor stream is somehow limited before the stream is released into the plant surroundings.